Wednesday, May 10, 2017

Toyota Motor said, both their group sales and operating profit have fallen for the first time in 5 years.

Sales for the business year that ended in March stood at more than 240 billion dollars. That’s down 2.8 percent in yen terms from a year earlier. Operating profit dropped 30 percent, to 17.5 billion dollars. The company attributes the declines mainly to the stronger yen lower demands and expenses on Research and Development and company going to path of green label.

Toyota expects group sales to drop 0.4 percent and operating profit to fall by nearly 20 percent this fiscal year, for a second straight year of decline.

Indian women’s team fast bowler Jhulan Goswami today became the highest wicket-taker in history of ODIs. She eclipsed the decade-long record in the name of Australian Cathryn Fitzpatrick.

Jhulan Goswami dismissed South Africa’s Raisibe Ntozakhe in an ongoing ODI to claim her 181st victim in the 50-over format, breaking Fitzpatrick’s record of 180 wickets from 109 matches.Goswami had figures of 3/20 in 7.3 overs.

Jhulan’s feat has been achieved in her 153rd match. She made her debut way back in 2002. Jhulan was also adjudged ICC’s ‘Women Cricketer of the Year’ in 2007.

Jhulan Goswami also has 40 wickets in 10 Tests and 50 wickets in 60 Twenty20 Internationals.

Rio Olympics bronze-medallist Sakshi Malik will spearhead the Indian challenge at the Asian Wrestling Championship beginning in New Delhi today. Sakshi along with Olympian Sandeep Tomar and Bajrang Punia will be aiming for podium finishes.

India had bagged 9 medals – 1 Gold, 3 Silver and 5 Bronze – in the last edition of the tournament held in Bangkok last year.

In the competition, 112 freestyle, 103 Greco-Roman and 83 female wrestlers will be vying for 24 Gold and Silver, and 48 bronze medals.

Cisco Systems will work with Andhra Pradesh to make starting a small business easy.

John Chambers, Executive Chairman and former CEO of Cisco Systems gave a presentation to Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and his delegation currently on tour of the US, on how modern communications can connect the world and as an example demonstrated how he conducts meetings from his board room with his executives around the world.

He stated that the world is experiencing disruption brought about by digital innovations and IoT.Naidu informed Chambers that his state can be a suitable pilot place for all the practices that emerge out of new trends.

Chambers said that 95 per cent of business and political leaders have a vision for digitisation but only 25 per cent have a plan which highlights the need for a plan, a workable plan in place.

Delhi Assembly has passed a resolution appealing to the President and the Election Commission to hold elections through paper trail equipped-EVMs. In its one-day special session, the Assembly yesterday took up the discussion on the issue of alleged tampering of Electronic Voting Machines.

Participating in the discussion, ruling Aam Aadmi Party MLAs said, tampering of EVMs is possible. AAP member Sourabh Bhardwaj made a demonstration on a prototype machine showing how easily EVMs can be manipulated.Earlier, the House witnessed noisy scenes when Leader of the Opposition Vijendra Gupta of BJP tried to move adjournment motion over corruption in a land deal against Delhi Minister Satyendar Jain. Speaker Ram Niwas Goel did not allow Mr Gupta to raise the issue and suspended him for the day. He was marshalled out of the House when he did not pay heed to Chair’s ruling.Meanwhile, the Election Commission has rejected Aam Aadmi Party’s claim of EVM tampering, saying that look alike EVM has no relevance, incidence or bearing on its Electronic Voting Machines.

The Commission said, it is possible for anyone to make any electronic gadget which looks-like Election Commission’s EVM and demonstrate any magic or tampering. It said, the demonstrated machine is just a different gadget, which is manifestly designed and made to function in a tampered manner.That Election Commission has already scheduled a meeting of all political parties on Friday for EVM Issues and other Electoral Reforms.

New hiked fares of the Delhi Metro have come into force from today. Delhi Metro Rail Corporation had, on Monday, raised the minimum fare from 8 to 10 rupees and the maximum from 30 to 50 rupees.

Under the new fare structure, for up to 2 kilo meters the fare will be 10 rupees, 2 to 5 kilo meters it will be 15 rupees, 5 to 12 kilo meters it will be 20 rupees, 12 to 21 kilo meters it will be 30 rupees, 21 to 32 kilo meters it will be 40, and for journeys of over 32 kilo meters the fare will be 50 rupees. There are a total of six fare slabs as against the earlier 15.

President of South Korea, Moon Jae-in, has been sworn in as 19th President of the country. Mr. Moon took the oath of office, a day after his liberal Democratic Party’s decisive victory in a snap election called to find a replacement for Park Geun-hye, who was ousted in March over a corruption scandal.

Soon after the swearing in ceremony, Mr. Moon, in a departure from current policy, said he would be willing to visit North Korea in the right circumstances. South Korean President said he is ready to negotiate with China and the United States over a controversial anti-missile defense system.

Moon won about 40 percent of yesterday’s vote, defeating his rivals — Hong Joon-pyo of the conservative Liberty Korea Party and Ahn Cheol-soo of the centrist People’s Party.

New South Korean President, Moon Jae-in has named his nominees for Prime Minister and the country’s spy chief. Announcing his first cabinet and presidential staff appointments,

Mr. Moon appointed South Jeolla Province Governor, Lee Nak-yon as the Prime Minister. Mr. Moon also nominated Suh Hoon, a longtime intelligence official with expertise in North Korea issues, as his new chief of the National Intelligence Service.

Presidential office said other appointments included Im Jong-seok, chief of staff for Moon’s campaign, as chief of staff, and a former Blue House security official to head presidential security.

Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe says he hopes to cooperate with South Korea’s new president in dealing with North Korea.

Abe was speaking at a meeting of government and ruling party officials on Wednesday. He said South Korea is Japan’s most important neighbor, and that they share strategic interests. Abe said he aims to develop future-oriented relations with Seoul.

He said Japan will continue to work closely with the US, South Korea, China and Russia to strongly urge Pyongyang to refrain from nuclear testing and ballistic missile launches.

He added that Japan remains on high alert for further provocations from North Korea.Meanwhile Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga has congratulated South Korean President Moon Jae-in and expressed the hope of building a new, future-oriented era with South Korea.

India and Russia today agreed to work closely in various sectors including security, nuclear energy and disaster management. In a joint media statement after India Russia Inter Governmental Commission meeting in New Delhi, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said, the progress made in implementation of agreements signed between the two countries in Goa last year during the BRICS Summit was discussed.

She said, the future roadmap is being implemented enthusiastically and over 100 items have been identified. Ms Swaraj said, Ministries, Departments and private sector are coming together to celebrate 70th year of Indo-Russian diplomatic relations. She said, forthcoming visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to St. Petersburg was also discussed during the meeting.

In his statement, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dimitry Rogozin said, relationship between India and Russia is very dynamic and strengthening trade and economic cooperation was discussed between him and Ms Swaraj. He said, the two countries will further cooperate in sectors like agriculture, aviation and space.

Mr Rogozin arrived in New Delhi this morning on a one day visit to attend IRIGC-TEC meeting. He is scheduled to call on Prime Minister Narendra Modi later in the day.

US President Donald Trump has fired the FBI Director James Comey who was leading the investigation into whether his election campaign had ties to Russia’s and its interference in last year’s election.

In a letter, Trump communicated Comey that his services are terminated and he is removed from the office, effective immediately.

Trump said, Comey was no longer effectively able to lead the bureau and it was necessary to restore public trust and confidence in it.

The shock move comes days after Comey testified on Capitol Hill about the FBI’s investigation into Russia’s election meddling and a possible collusion between the country and Trump’s campaign. The White House said the search for a new FBI director would begin immediately.

US President, Donald Trump will meet Russian Foreign Minister, Sergei Lavrov at the White House today to discuss Syria and a wide range of international issues. It will be the highest-level contact between Trump and the government of Russian President Vladimir Putin since Trump took office in January this year.

Russian Foreign Ministry said, Mr. Lavrov will also hold talks with US State Secretary Rex Tillerson in Washington. Lavrov is on a three-day visit to the United States. The US State Department said, the top diplomats would also discuss Ukraine, including implementation of the Minsk peace deal, and some bilateral issues.

Relations deteriorated between the United States and Russia after U.S. air strikes against a Syrian airfield in response to a chemical weapons attack that Washington blamed on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, a Russian ally.

US President Donald Trump has delayed a decision to honor or walk away from the Paris climate accord until he returns from Europe late this month.

The White House postponed a key meeting that could have determined the fate of the 196-nation accord, and later said there would be no decision before the end of the month.Divisions within the Trump administration have left in doubt the participation of the world’s number two carbon polluter after China in the landmark 2015 agreement to limit global warming.

The Rail authorities held sports conclave at National rail Museum in the capital to get sportsperson view on the sports facilities and conditions and the vision of railway authorities in this direction. Many sports subjects were discussed by various stakeholders in the direction to upgrade the standard of the players by giving them International facilities for training coaching and promising more competition in rural,school,colleges and university levels with a view to make sports an essential subject in Schools curricular activities for which the road map has been worked out by the ministry responsible for galvanizing the standards in the country at all levels .

As discussed we are organizing an International Conference , scheduled for19th – 21st July 2017, National Museum, New Delhi, Titled Mahabharata Manthan: A Crtical Revisit ti Tangible and Intangible Heritage, The Synosis is attached herein.

We invite you to present a a Paper at this conference, AND also, as discussed , please circulate to your colleagues national and international who are likely to be in Delhi and would like to present a paper on any of the themes mentioned in the Synopsis. We would need their Title with Abstract (within 300 words) and their CV latest by 25th May 2017.

Easier access to the German labor market for Indian professionals and skilled workersEmployland develops innovative intermediary platform

Hamburg – With its internet platform http://www.employland.de, available in German and English, Hamburg start-up Employland is offering a new way to find work in Germany. For the first time, recruitment and legal services are being offered from a single source as a way of streamlining the labor integration process: Employland helps job-seekers with residence and work permits as well as recognition of their qualifications.

Hans-Christian Bartholatus, founder and managing director of the new online portal, says: “With Employland, we have created a platform that paves the way for qualified workers with or without a university degree to find work in Germany’s very receptive labor market. The country is already experiencing a shortage of skilled personnel, a trend set to gain even more momentum in the near future. Until now, the administrative burden created by German laws of entry and residence has proven a major obstacle both for companies in Germany as well as specialists from around the world. This is precisely where our Ready to Work service comes into play: Our qualified lawyers support the whole process up to the point of commencing employment in Germany.”

In order to protect its strong economy, Germany needs well-qualified workers from around the globe. Based on demographic developments, the IAB[1] estimates that Germany needs to achieve a net migration of 400,000 people per year in order to maintain a steady potential labor force in the long term. As part of a large-scale Qualified Professionals Initiative, the German government has been welcoming qualified immigrants since 2012. The legal and regulatory framework behind the campaign has seen significant improvements in recent years. All that was missing was a platform where all the steps to securing employment in Germany were supported in one place, and this has now been created with Employland.

Free to use for professionals and skilled workers

Job-seekers create a detailed online profile on the website and use it to introduce themselves to employers in Germany. Employers then search the platform for employees; candidates with a good command of German have the best chances of being headhunted. All profile data is stored on servers in Germany.

The service is free to use for qualified workers. Once an employment contract is concluded and the employee begins work, Employland will receive a commission from the employer. As a rule, the employer also covers the costs of the residence permit and, where applicable, recognition of the employee’s qualifications.

Employland blog

“In our blog, we show why it pays to live and work in Germany and invite readers to get involved in discussions,” says Hans-Christian Bartholatus. At blog.employland.de, job-seekers will also find experience reports, legal requirements and tips for getting settled in Germany.

High-caliber founders and management team

The team has proven expertise in building digital platforms, having developed mobile.de – one of the leading automobile markets on the internet and sold to the U.S. corporation eBay in 2004. The international team has extensive knowledge of labor market-related immigration from non-EU countries and the specifics of migration legislation.

[1] German Institute for Employment Research February 2017, IAB Summary Report No. 6/2017

The draw for the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 Qualifiers was conducted yesterday in Guanghzhou, China, and was attended by former NBA superstars Scottie Pippen and Yao Ming.

For the first round of qualifying, India is drawn in Group C along with Syria, Lebanon, and Jordan.

India will now play six qualifying games between November 2017 and July 2018, three of which are likely to be played on home soil.

In order to qualify for the second round of qualifiers, India must finish in the top 3 of its group.

The second round of qualifiers will be conducted between September 2018 and February 2019, in two groups of six each. The top 3 teams from each group, along with the best fourth placed team, will qualify for the World Cup 2019 in China.

For the first time ever, the Asian qualifiers will now also include Oceania teams of Australia & New Zealand.

Bengaluru, 8th May 2017: The draw for the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 Qualifiers was conducted yesterday, May 7, 2017, in Guaghzhou, China. The event was attended by former NBA superstars Yao Ming and Scottie Pippen.

The draw was conducted region wise, based on the new qualifying format that sees a total of eighty teams competing region wise across four regions: Africa, the Americas, Asia – Oceania, and Europe. Each team will play home and away games spanning a 15 month period, divided into six ‘qualifying windows’, vying to qualify as one of the thirty one teams that will join hosts China at the FIBA World Cup in 2019.

The Qualifiers for the Asia – Oceania region comprise the same sixteen teams that are slated to compete at the FIBA Asia Cup 2017 in Lebanon from August 10 – 20, 2017. The top seven teams from the Qualifiers will advance to play in the World Cup 2019 that will be conducted in China.

For the first round of qualifying, India has been drawn in Group C, along with Syria, Lebanon, and Jordan. Group A comprises China, New Zealand, Korea, and Hong Kong; Group B comprises Japan, Chinese Taipei, Australia, and Philippines, and Group D Comprises Iraq, Qatar, Kazakhstan, and Iran.

This will be the first time ever that the powerhouse Oceania teams of Australia and New Zealand will be competing within the Asian region.

India is currently ranked 53rd in the FIBA rankings, which renders it the third best team in its group, after Jordan (28) and Lebanon (43). The 4th team in the group, Syria, is ranked 72nd in the world.

In the first round of qualifying, India will play each of the teams in its group twice (home and away) between November 2017 and July 2018. India must finish in the top three of their group in order to qualify for the second round of qualifying.

While the venues for the first round games have not been decided yet, the schedule is as follows:

23 November, 2017: Lebanon vs. India

26 November, 2017: India Syria

23 February, 2018: India Jordan

26 February, 2018: India Lebanon

28 June, 2018: Syria vs. India

1 July, 2018: Jordan vs. India

In the second round of qualifying, the twelve teams that qualify from the first round will be divided into two groups of six each. Each team will play the other teams in its group twice (home and away) between September 2018 and February 2019, and the results from the first round of qualifying will also count towards the standings in the second round.

The top three teams from each group will qualify for the World Cup, along with the better fourth placed team. The World Cup is scheduled to be held in China from August 31 – September 15 2019.

ABOUT BASKETBALL FEDERATION OF INDIA

The Basketball Federation of India or BFI is the governing and controlling body of basketball in India, and is responsible for the development and promotion of the sport at all levels. BFI has been involved in conducting camps, clinics, events, and training sessions at its academies for the development

The Union Minister for Steel, Shri Chaudhary Birender Singh briefing the media on the issue of the National Steel Policy 2017, in New Delhi on May 04, 2017.

According to the International Monetary Fund’s recently released regional economic outlook, Asia’s dynamic economies continues to deliver strong growth leading to Global growth, in the face of prevalent concerns about growing protectionism, a rapidly aging society, and slow productivity growth. However,in India growth is projected to rebound to 7.2% in FY2017/18 as cash shortages are offset from a favourable monsoon and continued progress in resolving supply-side bottlenecks.

The IMF’s Regional Economic Outlook for Asia and the Pacific estimates growth to increase in 2017 to 5.5 % from 5.3 % in 2016. As the region continues to be the leader of global growth, growth will remain strong at 5.4 % in 2018.

The more favourable global environment with growth speeding up in many major advanced and emerging market economies has also been cited in the report, supporting Asia’s positive outlook. Risk appetite remains strong in global financial markets in spite of some bouts of capital flow volatility in late 2016.

Strong growth ahead

In China, the region’s biggest and the world’s second largest economy, policy incentive is likely to keep supporting demand. Although still vigorous with Q1,2017 growth to some extent stronger than anticipated, growth is expected to slow down to 6.6 % in 2017 and 6.2 % in 2018.

Japan’s growth forecast for the year 2017 has been raised to 1.2 % with support from expansionary fiscal policy and the postponement of the consumption tax hike (from April 2017 to October 2019). The expansion would slow down to 0.6 % in 2018 .

The outlook for other Asian economies is also positive, but with some exceptions. India’s growth is anticipated to rebound to 7.2 % in FY 2017-18 .

Supported by robust domestic demand, in most of the Southeast Asian economies, growth is expected to accelerate somewhat.

Meanwhile, despite the recent pick up in exports, mainly owing to weak consumption, growth in Korea is expected to remain passive at 2.7 % in 2017.

Uncertain outlook: Downside risks

However,there is uncertainity in the region’s outlook. On the plus side, larger-than- anticipated fiscal incentive in the United States or stronger business and consumer confidence in advanced economies could provide a further advancement to Asia’s exports and growth. Reforms, such as productive public investment in infrastructure in ASEAN and South Asian economies, could help lengthen the positive impetus.

But if the U.S. fiscal spur leads to higher-than- anticipated inflation pressures, the Federal Reserve could speed up the pace of increase in the interest rate in response, leading to a stronger U.S. dollar.

An unexpected tightening of global financial conditions could unfavorably have an impact on Asian economies with high external financing needs and weak private sector balance sheets, by triggering capital outflows and unwinding of projects with productive investment.

Especially, Asian economies are susceptible to protectionism because of their trade openness and integration to global value chains. A global shift toward inward-looking policies could hold back Asia’s exports and reduce foreign direct investment to Asia. Furthermore, a bumpier-than- anticipated evolution in China or geopolitical tensions in the region could also fade near-term growth.

Challenges to growth

Asia needs to embark upon two longer-term challenges: population aging and slow productivity catch-up. As per the report, Asia is aging outstandingly fast in comparison to the experience in Europe and the United States. As the population grows older, there will be smaller number of workers, and over a period of time, a dwindling workforce and aging population can mean a rise in healthcare costs and pension expenditure. This puts pressure on government budgets, and lead to translation into lower growth.

Slow productivity growth is a matter of another concern. At the global technology frontier, the region has not been able to catch up to the high productivity levels of countries.

Policies to reinforce growth

Given these challenges, macroeconomic policies should be focussed on supporting demand and structural reforms.

The monetary policy should stay accommodative in economies with economic slack and below-target inflation rates. However, if inflation pressures gathers pace ,central banks should stand ready to raise policy rates.

Structural reforms that are well-targeted would help strengthen the region’s resilience to external shocks and sustain strong and inclusive long-term growth. Taking into consideration Asia’s rapid aging, policies aimed at protecting the vulnerable elderly population and prolonged strong growth take on a particular urgency. These include measures involving promotion of labor force participation of women and the elderly, as well as strengthening of pension systems.

The policies should be supplemented by productivity- improving reforms. Advanced Asian economies should focus on making spending on research and development more effective and raising efficiency in the services sector.

In emerging and developing economies, it is vital to attract foreign direct investment and expand the economy’s ability to absorb new technology and enhance domestic investment. These steps will help the region to build on and continue with the growth drive.

The Nehru Memorial Museum and Library is pleased to invite you for an Exhibition titled ‘Exhibition on Rare Books: 1700-1900’, is being inaugurated on Thursday, 11th May, 2017 at 11.00 am in Foyer, Library Building. Prof. Lokesh Chandra, Chairman, Executive Council and President, Indian Council of Cultural Relations will inaugurate the exhibition. The exhibition would be on till May 12th in the foyer of the library, after which it shift to the Ballroom (1st floor) of the Museum building for 2 days, till May 14th.

Mr. Ajit Kumar

Library and Information Officer

Nehru Memorial Museum and Library

(Autonomous institution under the Ministry of Culture, Government of India)

A. Easiest way to RIGG POLLING is SWITCH LIST OF CANDIDATES on EVM LEFT SIDE.

B. Another way is to Change The Name of Parties by Programming after Polls, Example Actual Polling – A-20, Votes B-10 Votes and C-5 Votes – it could be changed to B-20, A-10 and C-5 Votes.

C. But Today PRINTING is FAST & ECONOMICAL – EVMs not required.[The Idea Of EVMs Came Up When Printing Was Slow & Manual – Gazattes Were Published after Weeks – Patent Gazettes Were 6 Months delayed]

There scores of other malpractices which are OBVIOUS but not PREVENTED BY ELECTION COMMISSION.

1. LIST OF CANDIDATES are not distributed cost only Rs.20 lakh for every household.

2. List of CANDIDATES not displayed IN LARGE SIZE outside polling booths.

3. There were only TWO PARTY AGENTS in MCD Elections when there were about 10 registered and recognized Parties were contesting.

4. EC Could Have Engaged CIVIL SOCIETY VOLUNTEERS as OBSERVERS.

5. Polling agents were not issued AUTHORIZED BADGES who were to observe polling.

6. The Polling inside was not well lighted – it was difficult for Voters coming from SUNLIGHT into Polling Booth and EVM was ENCLOSED in CARD BOARD Partition.

7. It was difficult to See The ‘SEALING’ of Machines and Names of Candidates.

8. It was Difficult to NOTICE any FIDDLING with LIST ATTACHED ON LEFT SIDE.

9. EC didn’t announce the POLLING Result just after Closing Hour. [In PUNJAB RESULT WAS DELAYED BY 5 WEEKS.] Why can’t EC hold elections in Summer – Polling allowed from 7AM to 4PM and Result declared in 95+% constituency by 6 PM.

10. 5 Week delay could BENEFIT Resourceful Party to WIN OVER Polling Agents of others.

11. This way Resourceful Party could bring its SUPPORTERS early and then Switch LIST.

12. EC didn’t Monitor POLL EXPENSES – A Party Could 30 Helicopters while less resourceful DENIED even TV Coverage.

13. EC could have CONTROLLED POLITICAL DONATIONS – Pool all the Donations and Distribute EQUITABLY.

14. EC didn’t make it COMPULSORY for Parties to ‘REGISTER ELECTION MANIFESTOS’ two months in advance. THIS IS INTENDED TO MINIMIZE POLL EXPENSES.

ANALYSIS OF INCOME & EXPENDITURE OF NATIONAL POLITICAL PARTIES FOR FY- 2015-2016

This report analyses the details provided by the National Parties in their audit report, submitted to the Election Commission of India (ECI) for the FY 2015-16.

For details of share of donations above Rs 20,000 in total donations to the party, top sources of income and top items of expenditure of the parties, please refer to the detailed reports in English and Hindi attached herewith.

Executive Summary

The due date for submission of annual audited accounts for the parties was 31st Oct,’16.

AITC, CPM and BSP were the only three National Parties to submit the audit reports on time.

As on 1st May, 2017, BJP and INC have not yet submitted their audited reports to the ECI, almost six months after the due date for submission.

For the FY 2014-15, INC delayed it’s submission of audit report to the ECI by 125 days, BJP by 104 days and NCP by 63 days.

Total Income and Expenditure of National Political Parties for – FY-2015-2016

BSP declared a total income of Rs 47.385 cr during FY- 2015-16, but spent only 25% (Rs 11.90 cr) of the total income.

AITC declared a total income of Rs 34.578 cr during FY- 2015-16, but spent only 39% (Rs 13.35 cr) of the total income.

NCP is the only party which has spent 19% more than its total income during FY- 2015-16. While the party’s income was Rs 9.14 cr, it incurred a total expenditure of Rs 10.84 cr.

Total Income of National Parties FY 2015-2016

5 out of 7 National Parties (BSP, NCP, CPM, CPI and AITC) have declared a total income of Rs. 200.76 cr, collected from all over India.

CPM has shown the highest income amongst the National Parties with a total income of Rs 107.48 cr during FY 2015-16. This forms 53.34% of the total income National Parties, together during FY 2015-16.

BSP declared the secondhighest income of Rs 47.385 cr which forms 23.60% of the total income of the 5 National Parties.

Comparison of total income of National Parties between FY 2014-15 and 2015-16

The income of BJP during FY 2014-15 was highest among all the National Parties. The party had declared a total income of Rs 970.43 cr but is yet to submit its copy of Income Tax returns for FY 2015-16 to the Election Commission of India.

Between FY 2014-15 and 2015-16, the income of AITCincreased by 180.68% (Rs 22.26 cr) from Rs 12.32 cr to Rs 34.58 cr while the income of NCPdecreased by 86.49% (Rs 58.51 cr) from Rs 67.65 cr to Rs 9.14 cr.

The income of BSP decreased by 57.68% (Rs 64.58 cr) from Rs 111.96 cr during FY 2014-15 to Rs 47.38 cr during FY 2015-16.

Unknown sources of income of National parties for FY- 2015-2016

Total income of five National parties during FY 2015-16: Rs 200.76 cr.

Total income of political parties from known donors (details of donors as available from contribution report submitted by parties to Election Commission): Rs 4.75 cr, which is 2.37 % of the total income of the National parties during FY 2015-16.

Total income of political parties from other known sources (e.g., sale of assets, membership fees, bank interest, sale of publications, party levy etc.): Rs 134.35 cr, or 66.92% of total income.

Total income of political parties from unknown sources (income specified in the IT Returns whose sources are unknown), for the FY 2015-16 isRs 61.66 cr, which is 30.71% of the total income of the parties from all over India.

Details of unknown sources of income as declared by the parties in their IT Returns

Among the unknown sources of funding, maximum funds were collected under “Voluntary Contributions” by the five National Parties during FY 2015-16. A total of Rs 37.565 crwas collected under “Voluntary Contributions”which formed 60.92% of the total income from unknown sources of the National Parties.

The second most preferred unknown source of funding was “Miscellaneous Income” under which the National Parties collected a total of Rs 15.89 cr which formed 25.77% of their total income from unknown sources during FY 2015-16.

BSP has not declared any income under voluntary contributions, miscellaneous income or any collection from sale of coupons/ publications.

Recommendations of ADR

The Supreme Court gave a judgment on September 13, 2013 declaring that no part of a candidate’s affidavit should be left blank. Along the same lines, we recommend that the Election Commission India impose rules that no part of the Form 24A submitted by political parties providing details of donations above Rs 20,000 should be left blank.

Full details of all donors should be made available for public scrutiny under the RTI. Some countries where this is done include Bhutan, Nepal, Germany, France, Italy, Brazil, Bulgaria, the US and Japan. In none of these countries is it possible for 75% of the source of funds to be unknown.

Any party which does not submit its IT returns or donation statement to the ECI on or before the due date, their income should not be tax-exempted and defaulting parties should be derecognized.

Those parties not following the ICAI guidelines for auditing of reports should be scrutinized by the IT department.

The National political parties must provide all information on their finances under the Right to Information Act. This will only strengthen political parties, elections and democracy.

Over 35 civil society groups are organising a day long convention on May 10, 2017 from 10am till 7pm at Gandhi Bhawan, Residency Road, Qaiser Bagh, Lucknow . The convention ‘ In Defense of the Constitution – for Rights and Justice is being attended by groups from across UP and some from outside.

I am writing to request you to kindly inform the local Lucknow correspondents to cover it.

With over 40 years of CORRUPTION FREE experience – I can say with authority that Kejriwal can’t be CORRUPT. He lacks Experience, Skills, Guru & Guide.

I know for example ‘The Corrupt Would Ask For Their Share in Bribes from First Day.’ A person who is not Corrupt for 25 Years Can’t be corrupt today. Every politician needs money for Political Activity, AAP Party Expenses are Lowest WRT Others. But since December2013 since he TASTED POWER – Not a Single Institutionalized Corruption has been detected.

He could have DONE much better had he CONTROLLED VIGILANCE DEPARTMENT.

He lacked experience is reflected by the fact that he ORDERED registration of FIR against RELIANCE when he was SIMPLY required to say FORWARD well researched reports already mailed to him. I DELIVERED THEIR COPIES TO HIS OFFICE WHEN HE DECIDED TO RESIGN.

He lacks SKILLS – Instead of TAKING POLICY decisions which would have provided PROTECTION TO CONSUMERS, NOT JUST IN DELHI, or INDIA but WORLD also.

Reduce POLITICAL EXPENSES & Equitable Donation Sharing

Ø Corruption in Political System is PROPORTIONAL to PARTY EXPENSES. A Minister who reported Rs.2,40,000 Annual Income or less than Cost of a NANO Car, spent Rs.100 Cr on his Son or Daughters Marriage is not Considered CORRUPT.

Ø The very idea of ‘DONATIONS TO POLITICAL PARTIES’ is CORRUPT, Considering RIL gave more DONATIONS to POLITICAL PARTIES Than DIVIDEND to Retail Shareholders.

Ø Over 5 BCM of Yamuna Water is Lost to Sea Every Year. Dams on Yamuna could double water availability in Delhi, 10 times more Summer Upper Yamuna Water flow – WOULD PROVIDE ALL THE WATER REGION NEEDS, CLEAN YAMUNA AT NO COST.

Ø There are 8 such NATIONAL PROJECTS THAT COULD AUGMENT WATER SUPPLY BY 15- BCM in North India, Generate PEAKING Power & reduce IRRIGATION PUMPING COST